For safer streets

… It was with especial joy that I was able to transport myself from my home at the Bangor House to a Christmas Festival Handbell Ringers’ Concert at my church at Union and Clinton streets, due to streets and sidewalks being virtually free of snow and ice when the weather took a milder turn on Sunday, Dec. 15.

On my trip to the church, I experienced an example of the best in driver courtesy when a thoughtful taxi driver halted and signaled that it was safe for me to cross Union Street with its almost endless flow of traffic….

It takes a great deal of courage for citizens in wheelchairs to venture out to accomplish the things to help maintain their independence. My own experiences the last two days with drivers who lack common sense, courtesy, and compassion have pushed my store of courage to the utmost limit….

On my return, the streetlight Sunday evening was bright overhead. A sign warns drivers I have the right of way — surely a sensible measure. All systems are go. I am in the intersection. A car whizzes around the corner. My fright is of heart-stopping caliber. The joy I had been feeling in being able to attend the splendid Christmas season handbell concert is supplanted by horror at the reality that the life of this human being in a wheelchair means nothing to a creep behind an automobile steering wheel who couldn’t possibly wait even less than a minute to allow me to cross the street safely.

The next day, the same game of Russian roulette with my life is played when a monster driving a van nearly hits me in my chair while it speeds around the corner to get to the Brewer Bridge, despite a large sign warning, “NO RIGHT TURN.”

Numerous friends at the Bangor House tell me that being endangered by drivers abusing the “right-turn-on-red-light” privilege is an all-too-frequent occurrence. Don’t count on the “NO TURN ON RED” sign as an aid to street-crossing safety, they warn; surely driving insanity!

It’s true that Union and Main streets in downtown Bangor are major traffic arteries. It’s true that the Union and Main street intersection is possibly the busiest in the city. During the current celebration of the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Bill of Rights, and during the week marking the annual plea for safer holiday driving, citizens must ask if they automatically lose their rights as government protected, law enforcement protected citizens simply by trying to cross the street at this intersection.

No magic talisman should be needed beyond having the walk light in one’s favor. Life’s minutes and seconds are precious for all of us. Please, drivers, don’t snuff out a life in your reckless efforts to save a few seconds for yourself. The blessed result would be safer streets for everyone. Elizabeth Whitehouse Bangor